


Faceless

by wellthatjusthappend



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Dick is a bit older, Implied/Referenced Underage Prostitution, Instead of him getting taken in by the Bat, Jason is a skilled pickpocket among other things, M/M, Roman hires Jason, Timeline is a little different, batman is just starting out, but not with Jason, false face au, hires not adopts, probably smut too later, very distinct difference there
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-16
Updated: 2019-09-15
Packaged: 2020-11-02 06:48:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20657726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wellthatjusthappend/pseuds/wellthatjusthappend
Summary: “I can make you someone everyone recognizes, but no one knows,” Roman promised Jason, “Whoever you were before, whatever you’ve done, you can leave it all behind when you come with me.”The boy didn’t look completely sold, but Roman wasn’t worried. A boy like that was made for the False Face Society.





	Faceless

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place while Falcone is still in power and Roman is just starting out. If he feels a little younger, that’s because he is.

Roman scanned the club brusquely and quickly identified Falcone and his men settled at a table in the corner. His own man fanned out around him as he walked confidently in their direction. Someone stepped forward to frisk him and Roman just fixed them with a look. 

They continued the rest of the way unharassed. 

“Sionis, kid, take a seat,” Falcone waved him into the booth, cigar smoke already hanging thick in the air. 

Roman felt his temper rise, but refused to raise to the bait. 

“To business,” Roman said taking a seat. 

“The young, in such a hurry all the time,” Falcone said, a mocking smile on his face as he poured Roman a glass. 

“Or maybe I just like getting things done,” Roman retorted. He knew Falcone was putting on a show, but it was still irritating. 

“Well, how about you get things done with something pretty in your lap?” Falcone said waving out his _ other _ employees, “I find it nearly always sweetens deals.”

A very nice stock, Roman mused as he let his eyes wander freely over scantily clad bodies. He was surprised to see a few boys among the girls. Still, none of them held a candle to Grayson, and he bet none of them could bend half as prettily either. 

“I prefer to save my enjoyment for after business is done,” Roman said pointedly, “That way you can truly… enjoy it to its fullest.”

Falcone laughed, a loud, ugly thing. 

“Perhaps you do know a thing or two about the world after all,” he said at last, “Alright, boy, to business.” 

They talked drugs for a while, then weapons. Falcone was of course stingy about letting Roman’s budding gang get anything like a real foothold in the market, but Roman expected as much. He still needed to keep the association with the crime lord for now though. The man had a history with the city that went back decades. Even if Roman was making inroads on the trade, he would need higher connections if he wanted to ever achieve anything. 

“How do I know you’re good for it?” Roman said leaning forward as Falcone proposed his latest deal, “The last shipment we paid for never came. Perhaps we should be taking our business elsewhere.” 

That got a real flash of anger from Falcone. 

“That won’t happen again,” he said with a dangerous look in his eyes, “We had a little problem with some idiots forgetting who’s boss in the city, but we’re taking care of it.”

“I thought you claimed to have the police in your pocket,” Roman said lightly, “If that’s not true…”

“It is true,” Falcone snapped testily, “This is something else. Some idiot dressed as a Bat causing trouble. I’ve ordered a hit out for him, he won’t be around for much longer.”

Roman wasn’t too sure about that. He’d been sneaking information about Falcone’s operation to a guy he was positive was working with the Bat. It worked in his favor if the Bat, Falcone, and the police were busy fighting each other. Whoever came out on top in the end, he’d have two less obstacles in his way. 

“Well, he’s just one man, surely he can’t give a man of your reputation too much trouble,” Roman said lightly. 

The Bat meant trouble and definitely needed to be taken out, but he was enjoying watching the guy humiliate Falcone in the meantime. 

“Of course,” Falcone said shortly, and changed the subject onto territory negotiations. 

Roman lost his good mood as Falcone continued to ask for ridiculous concessions from his group for permissions to sell goods in his territory. Worse, Roman didn’t have enough leverage yet to say no to his demands just yet. 

One day. 

He could tell when Falcone decided they were done because he waved the whores back over. His hand lingered over the hip of a black haired boy before grabbing young girl and pulling her into his lap instead.

“Not your usual type,” Roman noted, nodding towards the boy as he went back to his duties. Roman caught the glint as the boy pocketed one of his guards knives without the man noticing.

Interesting. 

“The bird? No, I prefer the female anatomy personally. Although that one has a tight ass and sings so pretty it’s worth it from time to time,” Falcone said, making it no secret that he was running his eyes over the boy, “Picked him out of Crime Alley a while back and he’s been worth every penny.”

“Mmm,” Roman hummed non committedly. A kid from Crime Alley probably had unbelievable pain tolerance. Probably how he’d lasted this long. Or, Roman mused as he thought of the stolen weapon, maybe there were other reasons. 

“Oh but you swing that way don’t you, Sionis?” Falcone said mockingly, “I heard you have a boy of your own. Perhaps I could lend you mine for the night as a token of my gratitude for the new business you’ve been bringing in.”

The room went tense. While it was all very well in their world enjoy a pretty boy from time to time, to imply that someone would ever prefer them over women was a huge insult. Roman himself only bought and bedded women… with one exception. 

The fact that Falcone was alluding to the fact that he knew about Grayson meant that he wanted Roman to know he had spies on the inside. And that he had no qualms trying to undermine him in front of his men.

Roman was going to gut him. He was going to gut them all and burn the ashes. But not yet. 

“You heard incorrectly, I’m afraid,” Roman said delicately, “I’ll have to turn you down.”

“Oh, but I insist, you really must try him out,” Falcone leaned forward, a mean look in his eyes. 

Roman resisted gritting his teeth. He needed to leave or his temper really was going to get away from him. Maybe he’d kill some poor fucks on his way home. That always soothed his soul. 

Out of the corner of his eye he could see the boy standing there tense. Probably knowing what was likely to happen to him at the end of the night. Perhaps Roman could find a way to use him to embarrass Falcone in return.

“Well, if he comes at _ your _ high recommendation, how can I refuse? At the end of the day, a whore is a whore I suppose,” Roman sighed as if he was giving in. 

“Exactly,” Falcone grinned, “You’ll learn yet, my boy.”

Roman fantasized about just blasting Falcone’s brains all over the booth. 

He took his leave, summoning the boy with a careless wave of his hand. He didn’t need to look to see the boy quickly followed instructions, keeping his head down as if Roman might forget about him. Roman considered fucking him, leaving him raw and bloody and ruined for Falcone’s men to find. But Grayson would be upset. These days he insisted that Roman’s other lovers were at least of age. 

He was far from whipped, but some things really weren’t worth the trouble. 

Once they were back in his territory, Roman dismissed most of his men and turned to the boy at last. 

“Stop hiding, I’m not interested in fucking you. I’ve got prettier whores at home,” Roman rolled his eyes. The boy flushed, but looked him straight in the eye. Roman liked that.

“You going to kill me?” he asked bluntly, “Falcone would take it as an insult.”

The boy had been given to Roman as an insult in the first place, but he was probably right. It was an insult that Roman planned to pay back in full when the Falcone empire was his, but not yet. 

“Just wanted to get back what you stole before we left,” Roman said, pretending that had been his plan all along, “You’re pretty good kid, but not quite good enough thief to fool me.”

The boy watched him warily, but obediently dug in his pocket. Roman mused that it would be a good lesson for both the kid and his men about negligence. 

Except that if wasn’t his bodyguard’s knife that Jason produced, but Roman’s watch. He hadn’t noticed the kid take it at all which meant he was even better than Roman originally assumed. 

Roman felt a slow smile spread under his mask. 

“All of it boy,” he murmured, following a hunch. 

The boy gave him a wary look and hesitated, before pulling out the rest. Knives were the least of it. Jewelry and trinkets and _ bullets _ all taken right from under their noses. Roman’s excitement rose as he recognized Falcone’s cufflinks among the pile. 

“Is this all from tonight?” Roman asked, inspected the pile. 

“Yeah,” mumbled the boy, “Didn’t know how long Falcone wanted me tonight so…”

That meant he’d managed to take all of this in under 20 minutes. Roman was was rarely impressed these days, but this boy… he needed to hire him. It was not lost on him the hate with which Jason spoke Falcone’s name. 

“How would you like a job?” Roman offered.

“I’m good, thanks but no thanks,” the kid said flatly.

Roman didn’t remember the last time someone had outright refused him. The kid had some balls on him. Roman liked him even more. He thought about telling the kid he had no choice (he didn’t really) but… Roman was capable of a more insidious touch. It was how he’d won over Grayson in the end, after all. 

“I haven’t even named the benefits,” Roman said.

“Whores that work for you don’t tend to live very long,” he said bluntly.

Roman threw his head back and laughed. The kid wasn’t wrong, but...

“Oh, kid, you’re wasted as a whore,” Roman murmured, “I have something much more profitable in mind for you. Something that will make both of us rich and get you your revenge.” 

That got the kid’s attention. 

“I’m going to bring down the Falcone empire,” Roman told him, “A few others too. I’m going to take this city back from all the useless pigs and run it my way. With me at your back, you can make all those bastards who’ve hurt you pay.”

Considering the kid was an established underaged prostitute, that list was probably long. 

“So I’ll be your thief by day and your slut by night?” the kid raised a brow, “supposed to be grateful that I’m not everyone slut and just yours?” 

“I don’t need another slut,” Roman shook his head, “And as you pointed out, even if I get bored of the ones I have, I can always get more. Those aren’t the skills I’m interested in. You want to sleep around? Do it on your own time. If someone tries to use those other services while I have you working a job? You have my full permission to shoot them.”

“You’re going to give me a gun?” this time the kid looked a little hungry. Roman grinned privately. Of course a kid that had been forced to hurt and endure would like the security and possibilities of his own gun. If Roman had any say about it, the kid was going to be a real threat in his own right when he was done with him. 

Loyal to Roman of course. 

“That and so much more. I can make you someone everyone recognizes, but no one knows,” Roman promised, “Whoever you were before, whatever you’ve done, you can leave it all behind when you come with me.”

It was a tempting fantasy even for those not in the kid’s profession. Roman could see by the way he hesitated to answer it, the boy wanted it bad.

“I’ll think about it,” the kid said.

That was fine, Roman wasn’t worried. He didn’t have a name, but he didn’t need one. Hell, if the kid wanted to pick a new name when he joined him, Roman wouldn’t care. All he needed was a yes, and he’d sure he’d get one eventually. 

A boy like that was made for the False Face Society.

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve seen a lot of au’s where Jason gets adopted by Roman instead of Bruce (even contributed myself) but they often focus on Roman’s complete and utter control and manipulation of Jason. Which is fun. But I decided to try an au that was more based on Roman’s grudging respect of Jason’s skills (which is true in cannon) and his desire to get him under his pay rather then someone else's. Because this kid is going places, and Roman wants to see it happen.


End file.
